President, Parliament Leaders Ignore Each Other at Solemn NATO Anniversary Session

The head of state was greeted instead by the two group leaders of the opposition Liberal Party, Marilen Pirtea and Alina Gorghiu, but did not interact with chamber leaders Calin Popescu Tariceanu and Liviu Dragnea, nor with the chief of cabinet.

This comes as tensions between the presidency and the ruling PSD-ALDE coalition reached an apex over the subject of judicial reform in the country, with the president decided to call a referendum presumably meant to limit the government’s powers to alter judicial and criminal laws by emergency decrees.

President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Viorica Dancila took part on Tuesday at a common solemn session of the Romanian Parliament, marking 70 years since the founding of NATO and 15 since Romania’s accession to the alliance.